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LAKELAND’S FIRST ROUNDABOUT LOCATED AT LAKE HOLLINGSWORTH DRIVE & HOLLINGSWORTH ROAD WILL OPEN JULY 28TH WITH WATER BALLOON CHRISTENING

LAKELAND, FL (July 15, 2015) - The City of Lakeland will open the newly constructed roundabout located at the intersection of Lake Hollingsworth Drive and Hollingsworth Road on Tuesday, July 28th. The roadway has been closed for construction and there will be a celebration starting at 9 a.m. to christen the project as completed. The roadway will open to the public immediately after the celebration at approximately 9:30 a.m. The Lakeland City Commission, administration and project stakeholders will christen the new roadway with water balloons as part of the roundabout opening ceremony.

The roundabout was constructed as part of a Lake Hollingsworth bicycle and pedestrian safety plan that began in 2012. Compared to other types of intersections, roundabouts are designed to improve safety, reduce congestion and reduce fuel usage.

Rick Lilyquist, Director of Public Works, said, “We are very pleased to open the roundabout a few weeks ahead of schedule.” He added, “The roundabout is just one element of a master plan to enhance bicycle and pedestrian safety for an area that sees a great deal of recreational and automobile activity.”

A number of multi-modal enhancements have been included in the roundabout design such as raised brick crosswalks, a landscaped center island and improved street lighting. The roundabout construction started in early May and the project took about 80 days to complete. The roundabout project required utility and sidewalk relocations and the Lake Hollingsworth Multi-Use Trail was re-routed to accommodate the new roundabout.

Those attending the roundabout opening ceremony are asked to turn onto Callahan Court from Hollingsworth Drive and then take the second driveway on the right for parking. The ceremony will take place at the roundabout location where Lake Hollingsworth Drive and Hollingsworth Road intersect.

Guidelines for driving through the new single-lane roundabout:

As you approach the roundabout in any of the three directions, you will see a yellow "Roundabout (Symbol) Ahead" sign and a “Raised Crosswalk Ahead” sign – Slow Down.

Stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk. If there are no pedestrians in the crosswalk, you should continue over the raised crosswalk at the advisory speed of 10 mph.

Continue toward the roundabout and look to your left as you near the yield sign and dashed yield line at the entrance to the roundabout. Yield to traffic already in the roundabout.

Once you see a gap in traffic, enter the roundabout and proceed to your exit.

Use your right turn signal to indicate your intention to exit the roundabout.

As you exit the roundabout, look and stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk.

LAKELAND, FL - (June 16, 2015) - The City of Lakeland is in the final construction phase of installing the roundabout at the intersection of Lake Hollingsworth Drive and Hollingsworth Road. During this phase of construction, the entire intersection of Lake Hollingsworth Drive andHollingsworth Road will remain closed through early August when the roundabout will be opened for traffic. The road improvement is part of the original bicycle and pedestrian safety plan that began in 2012. Compared to other types of intersections, roundabouts are designed to improve safety, reduce congestion and reduce fuel usage.

Rick Lilyquist, Director of Public Works, said, “The City’s contractor isslightly ahead of schedule as we start the final stages of the roundabout construction.” He added, “The roundabout is a critical component to the overall plan to enhance bicycle and pedestrian safety for this area of Lakeland which attracts a significant number of users.” The Roundabout will also feature multi-modal enhancements such as raised brick crosswalks leading into a landscaped center island and improved street lighting.

There are many elements of the project that have already been completed including utility and sidewalk relocation. The Lake Hollingsworth Multi-Use Trail was also re-routed during phase one of the project to accommodate the new roundabout.

“The construction contract requires the roundabout be open to traffic by mid-August in time for the beginning of the new school year,” Lilyquist said. “The entire intersection will be closed for approximately 30 days in order to complete construction of the Roundabout and this is timed to coincide with our lowest seasonal traffic volumes because area schools are on summer break.”

Guidelines for driving through the new single-lane roundabout:

As you approach the roundabout in any of the three directions, you will see a yellow "Roundabout (Symbol) Ahead" sign and a “Raised Crosswalk Ahead” sign – Slow Down.

Stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk. If there are no pedestrians in the crosswalk, you should continue over the raised crosswalk at the advisory speed of 10 mph.

Continue toward the roundabout and look to your left as you near the yield sign and dashed yield line at the entrance to the roundabout. Yield to traffic already in the roundabout.

Once you see a gap in traffic, enter the roundabout and proceed to your exit.

Use your right turn signal to indicate your intention to exit the roundabout.

As you exit the roundabout, look and stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk.

On Saturday and Sunday from 730 AM to 6PM, there will be partial road closures/lane shifts on Lake Hollingsworth Drive from Cleveland Heights Blvd to just east of Buckingham. There will also be heavy traffic on Buckingham from competitors traveling to and from their equipment being stored a short distance away.

If you are not attending the event as a spectator or competitor, you may consider finding an alternate route to avoid potential delays. Parking for the event can be found at other locations around Lake Hollingsworth to view the races.

LAKELAND, FL (March 3, 2015) - Fencing is currently being installed in preparation of a City of Lakeland Lakes & Stormwater project on the north side of Lake Hollingsworth at Southern Landings (across from Florida Southern College).

The City of Lakeland is planning to complete repairs to the stormwater detention pond along the boardwalk at the Southern Landings. The activities planned include the removal and replacement of a failed concrete weir structure. The replacement of the weir is essential for the stormwater pond to function properly.

Weirs are designed to alter flow characteristics of water bodies. In most cases, weirs take the form of obstructions that pool water behind them while also allowing the water to flow steadily over their tops. Weirs are commonly used to prevent flooding and measure discharge.

Construction activities will take place beginning early March 2015. In order to protect the safety of the public, fencing is being installed around the perimeter of the work site, as well as at the entrance to the boardwalk to restrict access to the construction area through the duration of the project.

The fencing is being installed on Tuesday, March 3, 2015 and will be removed as soon as the construction activities are completed. The construction project is scheduled to be completed by the end of March. The City of Lakeland apologizes for any inconvenience the project may have because of the boardwalk being closed to the public during the time of construction.